Insider Henry Winter feels there are two players who could push Michael Carrick out the door at Manchester United, and it’s not going to be long before they do it.

Scrutiny on Carrick is rising after a third consecutive loss across competitions left United 17th in the Premier League. There were talks over his position after the second of those losses, against Bournemouth, but it was said he’d be given at least the Chelsea game.

After losing to the Blues, there’s no suggestion the Englishman will be pushed out, but Winter suggests it won’t be long, and that Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez could directly contribute to Carrick’s sacking after already speaking out against United of late.

Winter told talkSPORT: “You go into the Roma game. You prepare for that. The irony of that is that it was probably one of his best ever performances as a Manchester United player [in the 7-1]. He scored twice, and he was fantastic…

“Then he limps on into the Aston Villa game and probably loses his job in the international break.

“We know what international breaks are like in the rhythm of managers; if they’re going through a difficult time, it gives the club opportunity and time to get someone in.

“And also you have the risk of if an incumbent manager is staying on during the international break, and there are dark clouds over his head – those players who go off on international break.

“You know what we’re like [the media]. I would imagine the Portuguese journalists before they got Denmark and Wales and the Argentinian journalists before the Uruguayans and Costa Rica.

“They will be talking respectively to Bruno Fernandes, and to Lisandro Martinez, and say, ‘What do you think of this Carrick character?’

“And of course, the sort of headlines emanating from those international camps, and other ones, are just a bit too much.

“So you’d imagine that at some point the club will make a decision on Michael Carrick, and then the whole circus will just continue with another manager until you sort out the ownership.”

Man Utd issues not fixed by sacking Michael Carrick

Winter feels that the issues at United will not simply go away if Carrick is given the boot.

He said: “That squad needs just a huge clear-out.

“And it’s not Michael Carrick’s fault that he started the season when he needed a left-back and a striker and he was given three midfielders – two of whom probably are not up to it.

“[Carlos] Baleba, I haven’t got a problem with, although he got caught out. It’s not Carrick’s fault that Amad Diallo didn’t put those chances away.

“It’s not Michael Carrick’s fault that Lisandro Martinez behaved the way he did.

“It’s not Michael Carrick’s fault that three experienced players allowed Morgan Rogers to fly straight through the middle of them.

“So look, you can get rid of the coach, but you’re not getting rid of the overall problem.”